Black pigments based on magnetite have been successfully used in many applications and can be obtained by various methods (Ullmanns Encyklopadie der technischen Chemie 4, New Revised and Extendd Edition, Vol. 18, Inorganic Pigments, 1979, p. 603). Readily dispersible, blue-tinged black pigments of high coloring power can be produced by the precipitation method. Black pigments with a bluish tinge are particularly advantageous for use in building materials by virtue of their deep black color impression. A major disadvantage of the single-step and two-step precipitation method for the production of such pigments lies in the fact that neutral salt is formed in a quantity of equivalent to the alkalis used.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was to provide a pigment having the positive properties of precipitated magnetite, but without any of the described disadvantages.